Earth Day gathering in Powell River features recognition of climate change

Powell River’s Earth Day celebration at Willingdon Beach was greeted with inclement weather conditions but those who turned out were treated to a variety of enlightening activities.

Climate Action Powell River president Jack Anderson said the Earth Day celebration on Monday, April 22, featured speakers, musicians and entertainers, and there was also an explanation of the sea level rise project, which was led by a group called Unspoiled Coast. Anderson said the group worked primarily with a climate scientist who has spent his whole career studying glaciers and has written a book on the subject.

The scientist contacted people he knew who were involved in climate modelling regarding sea level rise and got the latest information. Unspoiled Coast distilled the information, got a surveyor on the committee who has surveyed Willingdon Beach, and were putting up a sign on the beach that shows sea level rise.

Anderson said if there is a two degree or three-degree increase in global atmospheric temperature, the Willingdon Beach Rotary Pavilion would be knee-deep in ocean water.

Unspoiled Coast is looking for a place in the community where it can do a permanent installation of this information to raise awareness and get people thinking about climate change and the changes that will be required to adapt to climate change because of sea level rise, according to Anderson.

“We are really pleased that group took that project on,” he said.

Anderson added that there are many other good projects going on in the community, spearheaded by other groups and that Climate Action Powell River wants to network with them. His said his group has been sitting on various committees in the community.

Climate Action Powell River has been interested in a few of the different groups that are doing agricultural work because it’s important to increase local food production to adapt to the global impact on agriculture that is right around the corner, said Anderson. Animal-based agriculture is a big contributor to greenhouse gases, he added.

Powell River’s Earth Day featured an electric vehicle (EV) parade and those cars ended up lined up at Willingdon Beach. The number of electric vehicles in Powell River has been growing steadily and this was an opportunity to showcase them. Anderson believes there are about 20 EVs in Powell River at this time. Comox Valley Nissan came over for the day to demonstrate a couple of new EVs.

qathet Regional District’s Let’s Talk Trash team was also set up at the beach and talking about the work it is doing in solid waste management and the new resource-recovery centre that is going in at the old incinerator site, said Anderson. He indicated that ground will be broken soon for the project, which he anticipated would take a couple of years to construct.

“That’s a great project that the community can be really proud of,” he added.

Anderson said he was hoping the Earth Day event would generate dialogue about climate change, so people could express their thoughts and feelings about the matter.

Climate Action Powell River will be holding its annual general meeting on Saturday, May 11, at Powell River Recreation Complex at 2 pm. Anderson said the organization needs more community involvement.